Gerber is an outdoor industry leader dedicated to making problem-solving tools for our customers. Quality, craftsmanship, and our customers' needs drive every decision and design we make in Portland, Oregon. We craft everything from EDC pocket knives, fixed blade knives, and multi-tools to hatchets, shovels, and camp kitchen cookware. Our goal is to make dependable gear that will give you confidence in your adventures.
Our Story
Gerber came to life in 1939 when Portland's own Joe Gerber made the risky move to turn his ad agency into a kitchen knife company. Joe brought his sons Pete and Ham on board, who would help grow the brand from a small kitchen knife company to an internationally known outdoor icon¬–turning Portland into a knife industry hub in the process.
Over the past 85 years, we've made knives and tools that have become legends in their own right, from providing knives and multi-tools for soldiers on the front lines to making essential gear for hunters, anglers, adventurers, and trade workers alike.
To this day, we continue to engineer and manufacture innovative, functional, and dependable tools in Portland, Oregon. Our heritage runs deep, and the legend of Joe Gerber's wild idea still inspires everything we do as we look toward the next generation of innovations.
85th ANNIVERSARY
Since we made our start 85 years ago, we've been making blades and tools that became companions on countless adventures and stories. Throughout 2024, we'll celebrate our legendary history with stories, giveaways, and more.
A TIMELINE OF OUR LEGENDARY HISTORY
[1939] GERBER OPENS ITS DOORS
Joe Gerber partnered with local blacksmith David Murphy to produce the first set of Gerber knives. They made their first sale to New York City outfitters Abercrombie & Fitch.
[1947] FIRST HUNTING KNIFE IS SOLD
A hunting guide from Montana wrote Gerber asking for a specific hunting knife design. Gerber obliged, and the first hunting knife, The Shorty, was born.
[1966] THE GERBER FACTORY OPENS
Gerber became a sizeable company and moved into a new state-of-the-art factory. We're still in the exact location, but with plenty of upgrades, where we make many of our knives and multi-tools.
[1966] OUR MILITARY PARTNERSHIP BEGINS
As the Vietnam War began, Gerber designed and debuted the Mark II for the military. This was the start of a long partnership with the US military that continues to this day.
[1980] THE LST CHANGES EVERYTHING
A revolutionary knife makes its debut, The LST. Credited as the father of EDC knives, this new blade and handle opened a new category that would change the entire knife market.
[1992] FIRST MULTI-TOOLS SOLD
It's hard to believe there was a time we didn't make multi-tools, but the launch of the Gerber Multiplier marked a new era for us. From this year on, we've been making some of the best-rated multi-tools on the market.
[2024] COMPLEAT COOK SET
A return to our roots. We launched an innovative collection of full-size, stainless-steel cookware, knives, cutting boards, and tableware.
Gerber is part of Fiskars Group, the global home of design-driven brands for indoor and outdoor living. Together, we enable enjoyable moments powered by our strong brand passion, consumer focus, and forward-looking drive to shape the classics of tomorrow unified and driven by our common purpose: pioneering design to make the everyday extraordinary.
